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Author
Topic: Worried and overwhelmed by so much information (Read 753 times)

I hooked up with a gay man on May 18, 2014, as the receptive partner. He claimed to be HIV negative and a condom was used. We both noticed that not enough lube was being used and he was a bit rough. I really wasn't feeling the vibe, and he understood, so I left.

I don't know if the condom broke or if he ejaculated; I wish I had had more sense in inquiring into this at the time but I rushed to go. I bled the next day during a bowel movement and I noticed a glob of white in the stool, possibly the congealed lube.

Obviously, from what I've read here, one of two conclusions can be drawn:

(1) The condom didn't break, this was no risk, aside from usual testing further HIV testing is not needed for this encounter as it was no risk

(2) The condom did break, this encounter has risk as with any rick of unprotected sex, and further HIV testing is required in the future to determine status.

I wouldn't have even considered HIV to be a worry, but I started having odd symptoms about 8 days after the encounter. To summarize these symptoms, I've had joint pain, muslce pain, muscle aches, and lethargy. On a pain scale out of 10, I'd rate these pains between a 2 and a 4. There has been no rash, no fungal signs, no sore throat, no headache, no swollen nodes, and no loss of appetite. Realistically, there has been no fever, but I'm not 100% sure.

For ease of read, here's a timeline:

05/18/14 - Date of last encounter: condom was used BUT not enough lube and it was rough; no clue of ejaculation or if condom broke.

05/26/14 - The first sign of joint and muscle aches; didn't sleep well due to an evaluation I was expecting the next day at work.

05/27/14 - Feelings of uneasiness over the whole situation as the joint pain and muscle pain increased. Mid-back also had throbbing.

05/28/14 - Continuation of symptoms; considered the thought of a low-grade fever; bought a thermometer which showed my temperature at 98.9. I had a friend try the thermometer too and she showed 96.9. I'm not sure if her body temperature just stays cooler than I, the thermometer was broken, or if I was running a fever and the evidence of this would just be the difference between our temperatures (2 degrees).

05/29/14 - Continuation of symptoms; went to the doctor and received a steroid shot and an oral NSAID. No fever when nurse measured temperature. Continued to feel symptoms at bedtime. Tested negative with OraQuik test. Obviously, this test has no bearing on the current situation as HIV wouldn't be detectable at this point, but I tested just for kicks as it had been over 6 months anyway.

These symptoms started on day 8; some sources say seroconversion say it can start after 1 week, 10 days, or 2 weeks.

Many sources also say that the symptoms seem "flu-like." I have nothing to gauge this by as I've never had the flu. I have seen the flu described as "miserable," and I wouldn't necessarily describe this as so. It was uncomfortable on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at work BUT I was generally fine on all of those days and didn't even consider the idea of calling in.

There's such a broad spectrum on seroconversion illness that I feel like these symptoms could potentially be part of this with the biggest sign being that they started suddenly on the 8th day after possible exposure. I've never had joint pain in my life. he joint pain and muscle fatigue don't seem to correspond at all to any other possible illnesses as all of those illnesses have specific identifying symptoms, whereas seroconversion seems to be something that might not appear in all HIV cases and has unique symptoms for every affected party.

Obviously, with anxiety like this, I will be getting tested as listed:

Week 4 HIV Test - 07/01/14

Month 3 HIV Test - 09/01/14

Month 6 HIV Test - 12/01/14

Does anyone have any input on the situation? Obviously, it seems to boil down to whether I was exposed or not, which is not something I'm 100% sure about. The most confusing thing to me is this joint pain and muscle fatigue I'm going through.

Your symptoms are not specific to HIV and could be from many things other than HIV . We do not discuss symptoms so if you are sick go see a doctor and find out why .

If you are not sure if you had protected sex then you are right to test . The earliest you can do so is at 6 weeks past any possible exposure and again at 12 weeks to confirm the results . There are no shortcuts and all test must be confirmed at 12 weeks .

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

There ARE NO "hiv-specific" symptoms. Primary hiv shares symptoms with many other viral (and some bacterial) infections. That's why ARS is sometimes referred to as "flu-like" - the flu is a viral infection most people are familiar with.

This is why symptoms will NEVER tell you a single thing about your hiv status. ONLY testing at the appropriate time will.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts